Page 21 of Back to Claim His Crown
‘Oh, wow.’ Zara gaped.
‘You’ve not been in here already?’ he asked.
‘Of course not. I’d need a GPS system to find this and I’m not going to wander about as if I own the place.’
‘But I said you have the freedom of the palace.’
‘Yes, but—’
‘Have you been to the indoor pool? The games room? Any of the other drawing rooms?’ He looked displeased. ‘Or have you just been sitting in your room marinating in the embarrassment of being jilted in front of millions?’
She gasped.
‘Or perhaps watching the replays of me half-naked in the cathedral?’
He added that last so expressionlessly it was a full second before his words sank in.
‘Did you just crack a joke?’ Astounded, she shot him wide side-eye. ‘Are youteasingme?’
His smile flashed. ‘You do it to me all the time.’
She couldn’t help laughing. ‘Yes, butthatwas too far.’
‘Well, you’re hardly subtle sometimes.’ He shrugged and walked into the library.
It didn’t look as if anyone had been in here in ages. There were mountains of boxes all over the place that seemed to have been sent from publishers. They hadn’t even been opened. But Zara was still catching her breath from his good humour explosion.
He studied the labels, his expression turning sombre. ‘My mother had a standing order from several publishers. She liked to read the latest releases. Every quarter she would cull the collection and donate the books to various places. It looks like the books have still arrived, only to mount up over all these years. It desperately needs sorting.’ He glanced at her. ‘Would you do it?’
‘Are you asking me to sift through all these books and decide which to keep and which to donate?’
‘Yes.’
‘But what would be the criteria for choosing which stay and which go?’
‘Your personal preference,’ he said negligently. ‘I’ll read anything.’
‘Obviously that won’t be a problem for me.’
‘I didn’t think it would.’ He smiled again.
She hesitated, realising the truth. ‘Are you just finding something for me to do for a few days? Busy work that isn’t really important?’
It was awful to be so pathetic that she needed a pity project.
‘Books are very important,’ he said gently. ‘They can save people from all sorts of things.’
So, yes, he was simply finding her some work, but she also knew he wasn’t entirely teasing. He meant that last. Her curiosity mushroomed.
‘Did a book save you?’
‘Audio books certainly helped me rebuild my concentration and helped distract me through tough times. I’d like others to enjoy the books that we don’t need here. They shouldn’t be in boxes not being read by anyone.’
It was the smallest personal detail and she wanted to know much more. But he stepped back to the doorway and she instinctively moved with him.
‘I truly would appreciate your assistance in dealing with this,’ he said.
‘I didn’t think you liked to accept assistance from anyone.’
